Basketball shoes are very popular in today’s era, and they are worn not only on basketball courts but also in different places, as they are also some of the most comfortable shoes to wear for any type of floor or surface. Due to the popularity of basketball shoes, there are now different types of them that are created by brands to cater to people that have different preferences on what they like to wear on the basketball court or for casual use.
The different types of basketball shoes are important to discuss, as each of them has its own pros and cons. So, there may be particular types of basketball shoes that have pros that outweigh their cons based on your opinion or preferences. To know more, here is everything you need to know about the types of basketball shoes.
High-Top Basketball Shoes
The heaviest type of basketball shoe available is the high-top basketball shoe. As their name suggests, high-top basketball shoes have a high upper that goes above your ankles. Despite being heavy, there are still a lot of people that wear high-top basketball shoes, as they are the most effective when it comes to providing support for your ankles. The ankle is arguably the part of your leg that is the most susceptible to getting injured, especially when you’re moving in different directions on the basketball court.
So, with high-top basketball shoes, you can protect your ankles from injuries while still offering comfort for your feet. The downside to high-top basketball shoes is that they can sometimes be so heavy that they limit your movements on the court, so you can’t run or shift directions fast enough. High-top basketball shoes are usually worn by bigger basketball players, who need ankle protection more than the freedom of movement that other types of basketball shoes provide.
Low-Top Basketball Shoes
The opposite of high-top basketball shoes is, of course, low-top basketball shoes. These shoes have a collar that goes below the ankle, so they wouldn’t cover your ankles, which can then allow you to have more freedom of movement to run or shift directions faster. Low-top basketball shoes are also very light, and this feature would then make your feet feel like you’re not actually wearing anything. So, if you want your feet to feel lighter and more comfortable, you should definitely get low-top basketball shoes.
The drawback of low-top basketball shoes is that they don’t provide the same level of ankle support as high-top basketball shoes. So, you will be more susceptible to getting ankle-related injuries whenever you wear low-top basketball shoes. But, a great remedy for this drawback is wearing ankle braces. Ankle braces are accessories that cover your heels up to the area above your ankles. These braces act like the part of high-top basketball shoes that supports your ankles, but they don’t restrict your movements.
Mid-Top Basketball Shoes
The perfect “in-between” shoe for those that like the ankle support of high-top shoes and the freedom of movement on low-top shoes is the mid-top basketball shoe. This type of shoe has a collar that still goes above the ankles, although it isn’t as high as the collar of high-top shoes. Mid-top shoes are very popular today since they provide the best of both worlds for low-top shoes and high-top shoes, so these may be the best choice of basketball shoes for you if you are a newbie that is trying to get into basketball.
However, because the mid-top basketball shoes are a “jack of all trades,” they are also a master of none. So, they don’t provide the same level of ankle protection as high-top basketball shoes, and they also don’t offer the same freedom of movement that you will get in low-top basketball shoes. But mid-top shoes are still very effective in those departments, so you may want to try out a pair first to see if it is suitable for your feet.
Outdoor Basketball Shoes
Outdoor basketball shoes, as evident already in their name, is the type of basketball shoes that are specifically made to be worn on outdoor courts. These outdoor basketball shoes usually have outsoles that are made from thicker and denser rubber that can last much longer on cemented courts that often have a rough texture. When you wear other types of basketball shoes on outdoor courts, the outsoles of those shoes will fade in just a few hours of playing basketball. So, if you regularly play basketball on outdoor courts, we highly recommend that you get outdoor basketball shoes for durability or longevity.
What’s interesting about outdoor basketball shoes is that they are available as high-tops, mid-tops, and low-tops. But, if you are playing on courts where the temperature or weather is warm, you should get a pair of low-top shoes that have breathable panels made of mesh or fabric. You may also want to get outdoor basketball shoes that have an upper made of durable materials like nylon, synthetic leather, and suede, as these will guarantee that the shoe’s upper can last as long as the outsole.
Now that you know all the important details about different types of basketball shoes, we hope that you can have a much better time choosing which type is perfect for your feet and for the basketball court where you will be playing. Purchase the pair that suits your playstyle, and you will surely have a fun and hassle-free time playing basketball.